UIC - BVIS CURRENT STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

BVIS CLASS OF 2016

Jonathan Bowen is a 2016 Master of Science candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago Biomedical Visualization program. He received a B.S. in Biology and a Minor in Art at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He worked in the pharmaceutical industry before moving to Drexel University, where he spent five years as a research technician and microscopy facility manager. He enjoys working with new technology, outdoor pursuits and board games.

Jon's research will blend the science of anatomy with the power of augmented reality to deliver an accessible, personalized, educational experience. Users will encounter their own image with 3d organs overlaid. Utilizing skeleton tracking through the Microsoft Kinect, the interface will allow participants to select structures to learn pertinent information and attempt to place representations of anatomy in the proper position.

The purpose of this research is to teach basic anatomy to a lay audience as well as develop best practices in augmented reality design and interaction. The primary goal is to make a display as engaging and immersive as possible to both entertain and educate users.

Jennifer Hollis is a candidate for a Master of Science in Biomedical Visualization at the University of Illinois Chicago, one of the four accredited Medical Illustration programs. She received her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and a Minor in Biology from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. Following her bachelors, she worked 5 yrs. in the pharmaceutical industry at Eli Lilly & Co. headquarters in Indianapolis, IN. In her spare time she enjoys various types of dancing, cooking, and always learning.

For her master's research project, she is building an interactive, educational game prototype showcasing the neurological impact of dance. Players will have the opportunity to learn a simple routine and watch an educational animation that will visualize the neurological processes that take place during movement. The interactive exhibit will educate the general public with the goal of promoting the knowledge of dance’s beneficial effects on cognitive function. With further research and development, this research may have future implications on neuro-rehabilitation for cognitive impairments.

Carrie Shaw is a class of 2016 Master of Science candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago Biomedical Visualization program. She is passionate about health education and the communication of science through art. Carrie graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Public Health and prior to beginning her graduate studies, she was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic and a lab research assistant for a bat biologist.

For her graduate research project, Carrie is designing and building an immersive, virtual reality experience that will take a unique approach to exposing the up-and-coming health professions work force to the aging experience. Students will wear a head mounted display and “become” an elderly patient who is going to the doctor for a check-up. Through the patient’s lens they will experience what it is like to have audiovisual perceptive changes of aging.